Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-02-18

spread TO tnelr WlucSU extent III an olIOrU
to swallow the more, and their round eyes
opening and shutting with every move
mcnt of their jaws. The noise they
made in swallowing sounded like the
gurgling of water pipe. As they were
thirsty as well as hungry, Berthine at
last descended to the cellar to draw them
some cider. To reach it she was obliged
to pass low vaulted chamber or cave,
used, so they said, during the revolution
as a prison or place of concealment You
could only enter it by narrow stairway
leading from the floor of the kitchen,
closed by heavy door.
Berthine was gone long time to draw
the cider, and when she reappeared she
was aughing-laughing softly to herself.
Soon the soldiers had finished their
supper and were nodding around the
table Every now aud then a head
would fall upon the boards with a re-
sounding thud.
"You can stretch yourselves by the
fire, if you like" said the forestiere,
kindly. "Nfother and will climb to the
upper floor"
A moment later key turned in the
lock overhead-there was the sound of
footsteps on the floor, and then-silence.
With their feet to the fire and their
heads supported upon their knapsacl1s,
the Prussians were soon snoring loudly.
They had slept perhaps an hour, when
suddenly there was the report of gum
shot, another and another, loud and
near. They leaped to their feet as the
door of the stairs leading to the upper
floor was thrown open and Berthine APP
peared, bare footed half clad and wild
with alright.
1T is the French" she cried, lat
of God, go into the cellar and make no
noise; if you do, we are lost!'
II will, will, ~ the officer stammered,
bewildered and excited "but how can we
get DOWN."
She lifted the trap in the floor, disclos-
ing the narrow stairs. and the six men
quickly disappeared. When the brim of
the last hat had vanished from sight,
Berthine replaced the oaken flap, as thick
as wall and hard as steel, fastened it
with monstrous bolt and began to
laugh again, to laugh like a maniac, as
she softly danced above the heads of her
prisoners shut up in their box of stone,
and as they had promised to be silent as
the tomb, knowing that they were per-
fectly secure and well supplied with air
through vent in the wall guarded by
strong iron grating, she gave herself no
further concern regarding them, but set
about replenishing the fire and the pot
of soup in readiness for her father S re-
turn.
1t was not long, however, before she
heard them stirring under her feet and the
sound of talking. Berthine listened; it
was clear that the Prussians were begin
ming to suspect the ruse and would soon
demand release. She was not mistaken,
for a moment later some one stumbled
up the winding stairs and began to beat
upon the trap with his fists. "Open re
toor open it, l say shouted the voice
of the officer, "or III preak it in.'
''Preal it in, my good man." Berthine
answered tauntingly, mimicking his
broken accent; 'preak it in. by all
means!" But the effort was useless; their
fists, the butt ends of their inuskets and
all their kicks and poundings were pow
erless to release them; that door was stout
enough to have defied catapult Con-
WINGED of this at last, they again descended
and once more all was silence, broken
only by the ticking of the clock on the
mantel shelf. AS the hands pointed to
the midnight hour distant baying was
heard in the forest and the young woman
arose and opened the door. The figures
of man and the two enormous dogs
were approaching across the snow
''Do not pass before the vent hole
father" said she, as soon as he was near
enough to hear her; there are Prussians
in the cellar"
"Prussians in the cellar!' Nicholas
Pichon replied astounded ''Prussians in
the cellar! What are they doing in the
cellar, child? Tell me. quick
"They are the same you saw yester-
day." she responded. They were in
the forest and are in the cellar now be-
cause l put them there" and she pro-
ceeded to tell him how she had frightened
them by firing off the old revolver and
then, through fear, Gagged them in the
unused prison hole.
"As soon as you have eaten, father,
she continued you must return and
bring the jor commandment and the
troops; he will be very happy to receive
the prisoners
The old man agreed, and taking his
seat at the table eagerly consumed his
soup while Berthine attended to the dogs
and twenty minutes from the time OF
their arrival they We're on their way back
to Rethel, the forestiere waiting alone.
The prisoners had once more com
menced Their uproar, cursing, shouting
and beating their guns against the wall!
, of the prison hole. AT last they began tt
, fire through the grating, doubtless hoping
to attract the attention of some passing
: detachment which might chance to be il
: the neighborhood Berthine paid no at
tention to the noise, however, save t.
} caution her mother to remain in hel
chamber; but wicked anger took pos
session of her and she would cheerfulll
have murdered them, if only to keel
5 them quiet
3 Her fatherhad now been gone an hou
5 and half. Surely he had reached tn
? city and the troops We're on the way
5 She pictured to herself the air of prid
\ | oh IN lotn faA Go, 10 l,